Stacy asked

25th January 2012

I bought a Toshiba 22DV501B tv today with built in freeview and hd ready, but when I tried to tune it in I got a message saying no channels could be found.

This is the first time I've had a tv in years, and I'd like to know if I have to buy any other equiptment to receive programmes.

All you should need is your TV and connected to an aerial, so providing that the aerial is connected and that you live somewhere where Freeview is available you should be able to watch. You can check what sort of reception you should expect on the Digital UK site here:

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/postcodechecker

Look for the "Find out more" link in the "Reception & channels" column of the table displayed when you enter your postcode.

If you should be getting good reception then you should look at your aerial. Check its securely plugged in to the right input on your TV and if possible remove any splitters, boosters or other devices connected to the aerial while you are experimenting to eliminate them as the source of the problem.

If you aren't able to get any improvement yourself I'd suggest you contact a professional listed via the accredited organisations at the bottom of this page:

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/how_do_i_switch/your_aerial

Dave asked

24th January 2012

I am about to purchase a Freeview receiver but having concerns about cable connections. I have a Panasonic HD-Ready TV (2x SCART, 2x HDMI) and a Sony DVD/preview receiver/HDD recorder (HDMI out, 2x SCART). What is the best way to join them up as I only have one TV cable-in from the aerial? It is not essential to record from HD Freeview receiver but it would be nice.

Unless the box you buy is a Freeview HD recorder you won't be able to record the HD channels, there's no practical way for you record it's output on your current hard disk recorder.

With regards to connecting the new box to your TV, HDMI is the way to go. You will need both Freeview devices connected to your aerial for them to work so if neither of the boxes you end up with have an aerial pass-though/output in addition to the RF input, you will need a RF splitter so both can be connected to your aerial.

Aiden asked

24th January 2012

I have a Sagem Freesat box into which I'm plugging a DVD player via SCART. When I used the Scart out into the TV this worked fine but as soon as the DVD player came on the signal was fed to the TV and I could watch DVDs. Now I'm using the HDMI lead from the box to the TV this no longer works. Is there any way around this? I've wall mounted the Tv now so can't get a SCART into it (not enough space). The only other input on the TV is a coax/RF.

SCART includes some control pins along with many others that swapped between the devices chained together before, but the control signal won't make it to the TV over the HDMI connection now. Unless there's some way to swap input on your Freesat box to show the DVD player I think you'll have to work out a new way of connecting it up. If you have a component input but it doesn't sound like you do a simple adapter would solve your problem, beyond that you will probably need a special (right angle?) SCART cable or converter to an accessible input, or even if appropriate, to pick up a cheap DVD player with a HDMI output and get around the problem that way.

Wendy asked

24th January 2012

Just had new LED Samsung HDTV with one socket and also have SKY+ (not HD). I've connected the aerial to the TV and connected the Sky box to the TV with the SCART. Sky working a treat but I can't get Freeview but as I live in Wales I thought this wouldn't be a problem.

I've tried manual tuning and automatic tuning (did get BBC1 but don't know how). I also have a black lead floating around - should I be using this?

To start with I'd put your postcode in to the Digital UK postcode checker here:

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/postcodechecker/

and see what it thinks you should be able to receive at your location under "Reception & channels" in the table.

If it indicates you should be getting better reception than you are you should see if there is any thing you should see if you can achieve any improvement by connecting your TV directly to your aerial, which is to say try removing any splitters, boosters or other devices you may have. If that improves things the problem relates to the distribution of the signal within your home, but if your not able to get any more channels connected directly to the aerial that is probably the cause of your trouble. It may well at that stage be worth getting in touch with your local independent audio-visual retailer (or one on listed on the digital UK site) for further help and advice tailored to your location.

Bob asked

22nd January 2012

I have just purchased a new Sharp Auqos TV with HD already installed, Having watched programmes using HD channels and there appears to be no difference whatsoever to the normal transmission. Do I need to connect up to somewhere on the set, or is this normal and I am expecting too much?

Also, when buying the set I was not advised that neither my Blu-ray player nor my Sony recorder would be incompatible with the Auqos system. Added to this, the set when connected to the internet is not able to recognize Adobe I player.

The Freeview HD channels are of different channels to their standard-definition counterparts where they exist, you should find for example BBC One HD on channel 50. This is assuming of course that you live in an area of the country where digital-switchover has completed and Freeview HD transmissions have begun. You can check here:

http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/when_do_i_switch

You should be able to notice quite a noticeable improvement between standard and Freeview HD side by side on a programme such as Eastenders which is filmed in high-definition.

With regards to your other equipment you may loose a small amount of proprietary functionality from not having equipment from the same manufacturer but this should in no way prevent you using the devices normally provided of course you are able to physically connect them together.

If the Internet functionally of your HDTV isn't working I think you can legitimately contact Sharp for support as it's only a recent puchase.

Hannah asked

20th January 2012

I have a bought a Freesat box (Goodmans GFSAT101SD) to use with my Sony Bravia HDTV. I also have a Sony HDD recorder. I am about to install the freesat digital box but am wondering whether I'll be able to use the three together? Or will I no longer be able to record things from the TV to the HDD recorder?

If your Sony recorder has a SCART input as in addition to however it connects to your HDTV at the moment you should be able to connect the Freesat box to your TV via that route. If both devices have sufficient timer recording capabilities you may even be able to record Freesat on your recorder althogh you will probably have to manually program both devices to do so.

If you have a spare SCART connection on your TV you can simply connect the Freesat receiver that way and to view it you will simply swap input/source via your TV remote. If you don't have a spare SCART input on your TV you but do have an analogue component video input you can purchase a cheap adapter to allow you to connect the two devices.

Geoffrey asked

18th January 2012

My new plasma tv only has one scart plug which the sky box is plug into . my old dvd player only has a scart plug access. can i get some sort of adapter to be able to plug the scart plug from the dvd into the hdmi port on the back of the tv

You can buy SCART to HDMI converters online but they won't be made by anyone you will ever have heard of so your success with them may vary.

A better option which should be available to is to pass the SCART connection from your DVD player through your Sky box which should have a second SCART socket apart from the one you currently use to connect to your TV. Connected this way when you turn on your DVD player the SCART input on your TV should automatically switch to showing the DVD player's picture and return to Sky again when you turn it off.

Michael asked

17th January 2012

I have just bought a Sony Bravia TV with an internal Freeview HD tuner - all seems to be working fine, all channels available. I have a DVD player connected via the single scart socket on the new tv, audio from which is fed out through a small Denon stereo, again working fine for music dvd's. I then realised I could use the headphone out socket on the new tv to feed the tv stereo audio to the Denon to enjoy music transmissions from the tv, again working fine. What I'd like to know is where to connect Sky tv which I have previously had via a satellite co-axial cable (and an "eye") from the other room where the Sky box is situated. On the old tv this was plugged straight into the tv aerial socket and the old external Freeview box had the terrestrial aerial into it and was then looped up to the old tv via a scart. The aerial has a mast head amplifier working at 12v dc but the Sky box (Pace DS430N) has 9v dc on the RF2 output. So, I'm not sure how to present the two sources of tv supply to a tv with one aerial socket and one scart and if I try a splitter will I mess something up if there is a conflict with the voltages. I also can't see how to tune a single channel for the Sky set-up, or how to pick AV1, 2 etc as it used to be.

If I've understood your set up correctly you want connect your aerial to your Sky box's RF input in your main room and then it's RF2 output (which should then be carrying Freeview and the analogue Sky channel) via the long RF cable to your Sony HDTV in the other room.